Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Neu-York!

(click image)

Many of you will remember this New Yorker cover. "New Yorkistan" was a brilliant concept through and through. The "Khooks" of the East Village. The "Moolahs" of Wall Street. The "Fattushis" of Brooklyn. The first week in December 2001 (when this issue came out) was probably a good time for a laugh.

But what you see above is simply fascinating. It's no joke, and it could have happened if say the Allied leadership wasn't up to facing Hitler's expanded version of manifest destiny.

I look around today and I'm not seeing any Winston Churchills or FDRs finessing our way through unbelievably treacherous times. I see might making right and right frequently being wrong. "Neu York" may have passed us by, but as far as alternate-histories go, are we really so sure that our clever New Yorkistan shower curtains will still be hanging in every possible future?

3 Comments:

brian said...

Although i lived in Khouks for 13 years ('79-'92) I was raised on the border of Very Very Bad and Al Zheimer's ('60''66)and spent my wonder years in LeFrakhis (late'66-'78,) went to high school in Artsifarsis('74-'78) and hung out all night in Lesbikhs.My parents grew up in Hiphopabad and Extra Stanbut everyone confused them for natives of Kvetchnya. Well, at least my mother.Oh if only we lived in Botoxia I know life would have dealt me a better hand.